Go- When God works in us and through us

Big Idea: God is to be Over us, In us, Through us

Ephesians 4:6 “6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.”

Ephesians 4:10 “10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.”

Isaiah 43:7 “7 Bring all who claim me as their God, for I have made them for my glory. It was I who created them.’ ””

Other ideas if we live for pleasure, the moment we experience pain we will question God’s presence. Without the presence of God and without purpose we cannot endure life or the hardships we face. Pleasure in this world, hedonism is too fleeting and shallow a thing to sustain a life worthy of living. It is only when we find pleasure in Him and purpose in Him that we can then be propelled to live a life worthy of living, or as Paul said, worthy of our calling.

Outline

Intro w/desire for purpose or God’s presence. Story of depression, God where are you?

God is over all - supreme Lord, He ascended

God is supreme “over all”, but not distant, He is present within us

Why is He present within us (as a body)? To fill the earth with His glory.

This is the restorative way to fulfill Genesis 1-3.

In Eph 4:17-31 Paul lists things that detract from our ability to fill the earth with His glory

(Quick mention not a in depth exegesis)

Action: how might you go into the world this week and make His glory manifest?

invite to tailgate and display Jesus to UofM students on 31st

New Outline:

Intro: I remember the first time I took an epigentics exam in my Masters,

Transition to spiritual difficulty doing for JC

Read Eph 4:6,10

Eph 4:6 Over us - the body

Yes He is over all creation

Examples

More specifically over US, He is Lord

Transition: Eph 4:6 says He is over us, Eph 4:10 says He ascended, but HE is not far off but close!

Eph 4:6 IN us

Push back on pantheism

Indwelled by HS Eph 2:20.

Why? Eph 4:6,10 Through us, that He might fill the earth

Example of talking to V on the phone while I cooked and had the play-by play

Filling analogy - to demonstrate greek word

What get’s in the way of this? Eph 4:17-32

Action: What is a way in which God wants to work through you? Eph 4:17-32 Remove something from your life? Add something?

Intro - epigenetics exam

I remember the first time I took an epigentics exam in my Masters

Have you ever tried to do something in your own will power or volition only to think afterwards, man it would be so much easier if… my professor would have took the exam for me, if I would studied more, etc.

In your spiritual life, have you ever tried to display Jesus and it just felt off? I remember recently, my mom needed help carrying something heavy into her basement. I was watching Isaiah and she asked me if I would help. In the moment, I served dragging my feet about it, almost begrudgingly. How do we live the Christian life not out of our own effort? Not out of striving but out of a genuine desire to make Jesus known? I believe the passage we’re going to look at today gives us insight into just that.

The text

Brief review of last 3 weeks then enter in with

Ephesians 4:6 “6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.”

Ephesians 4:10 “10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.”

Let’s start with Eph 4:6

Eph 4:6 Over us - the body

God OVER all creation

Genesis 1 He created the World, the World came from Him. He is supreme, omnipotent, self-sustaining and He alone has the authority to be Creator and Ruler of all. He is not interdependent on us or the rest of creation

Colossians 1:16-17 “16 for through him God created everything in the heavenly realms and on earth. He made the things we can see and the things we can’t see— such as thrones, kingdoms, rulers, and authorities in the unseen world. Everything was created through him and for him. 17 He existed before anything else, and he holds all creation together.”

Jonah 1:13-17 “13 Instead, the sailors rowed even harder to get the ship to the land. But the stormy sea was too violent for them, and they couldn’t make it. 14 Then they cried out to the Lord, Jonah’s God. “O Lord,” they pleaded, “don’t make us die for this man’s sin. And don’t hold us responsible for his death. O Lord, you have sent this storm upon him for your own good reasons.” 15 Then the sailors picked Jonah up and threw him into the raging sea, and the storm stopped at once! 16 The sailors were awestruck by the Lord’s great power, and they offered him a sacrifice and vowed to serve him. 17 Now the Lord had arranged for a great fish to swallow Jonah. And Jonah was inside the fish for three days and three nights.”

God’s power over weather and fish

Luke 19:40 “40 He replied, “If they kept quiet, the stones along the road would burst into cheers!””

God’s power over the rock and minerals

Matthew 21:19 “19 and he noticed a fig tree beside the road. He went over to see if there were any figs, but there were only leaves. Then he said to it, “May you never bear fruit again!” And immediately the fig tree withered up.”

God’s power over trees

Matthew 8:28-34 “28 When Jesus arrived on the other side of the lake, in the region of the Gadarenes, two men who were possessed by demons met him. They came out of the tombs and were so violent that no one could go through that area. 29 They began screaming at him, “Why are you interfering with us, Son of God? Have you come here to torture us before God’s appointed time?” 30 There happened to be a large herd of pigs feeding in the distance. 31 So the demons begged, “If you cast us out, send us into that herd of pigs.” 32 “All right, go!” Jesus commanded them. So the demons came out of the men and entered the pigs, and the whole herd plunged down the steep hillside into the lake and drowned in the water. 33 The herdsmen fled to the nearby town, telling everyone what happened to the demon-possessed men. 34 Then the entire town came out to meet Jesus, but they begged him to go away and leave them alone.”

God’s power over demons

Phil 2:5-11 “5 You must have the same attitude that Christ Jesus had. 6 Though he was God, he did not think of equality with God as something to cling to. 7 Instead, he gave up his divine privileges; he took the humble position of a slave and was born as a human being. When he appeared in human form, 8 he humbled himself in obedience to God and died a criminal’s death on a cross. 9 Therefore, God elevated him to the place of highest honor and gave him the name above all other names, 10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, 11 and every tongue declare that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”

power over death, and all creation will bow to Him!

This brings us back to our txt for today

Eph 4:6 God is OVER all - of us - His body

Contextually Paul is writing to the church in Ephesus, He has just referred to God as our Father, and so he is talking specifically to how God is the authority OVER his church. God is the head of the body as we discussed last week.

It is true that He presides over all creation but the way in which He does so is distinct from the way He rules over his people.

He is over us and He has ASCENDED Eph 4:10 but He is NOT DISTANT - IF you’re wondering, “WHERE IS GOD”, IS HE PRESENT? HE is

So God is OVER all and He has as Eph 4:10 describes “ascended higher than the heavens” but He is NOT DISTANT

In fact the greek word for OVER is Epi, which means over, above or upon

The other place we find this word is Matt 3:16 “16 After his baptism, as Jesus came up out of the water, the heavens were opened and he saw the Spirit of God descending like a dove and settling on (epi/upon) him.” —> in us

God is IN ALL of us who are a part of His body - HE IS PRESENT. His PRESENCE IS WITH US AND IN US

He has made us His temple Eph 2:20-22 “20 Together, we are his house, built on the foundation of the apostles and the prophets. And the cornerstone is Christ Jesus himself. 21 We are carefully joined together in him, becoming a holy temple for the Lord. 22 Through him you Gentiles are also being made part of this dwelling where God lives by his Spirit.”

Eph 4:6 What “IN all” DOES NOT mean - NOT pantheism

What the txt is not describing is the idea of pantheism

It’s important to address this idea today, because today it is actually very present, people believe “in the universe” that the universe is God

The Lexham Bible Dictionary (Pantheism)

PANTHEISM The belief that all things are part of a single divine reality. There is no distinction between deity and reality. The term derives from Greek meaning “all is God.” In pantheism, God does not have an existence distinct from that of the universe. They are the same. This essential unity of ultimate reality is a key part of many types of mysticism where the goal is achieving communion with the divine.

Pan - all

Theism - God

God is not in the microphone or in your chair, the microphone, the chair, the tree none of these are God! No God is OVER all, He is the creator of all. and IN all of His followers.

God seeks then to LIVE THROUGH all of us - His presence allows us to fulfill our purpose

Eph 4:6 “in us, through us” WHY?

Eph 4:10 “10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.”

Yes, all of creation glorifies God Rom 1:20 “20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

But especially us as His chosen people, we have a heightened responsibility as Image bearers to make His glory known in all the earth

Earlier, I gave an example of a time in which I wish I had the power or the ability of someone else to complete a task. The example i gave was related to school, but earlier this week, I had to make some rice for Victoria. Since she couldn’t get out of bed, and since I didn’t know how to cook, I ended up calling her and having her walk me through step by step. In other words, I was able to access her presence, and her knowledge and as a result she worked IN and THROUGH me to make the meal. This is what our lives are to be like when we abide with Jesus. When He dwells withIN us, He can then be displayed THROUGH us.

Why does God fill us and unite us? That His glory might be made manifest in all the earth. - This is a BIG IDEA b/c it means that the gospel is about more than you and I! But that you and I have a part in fulfilling God’s grand plan!

The way in which God seeks to make His presence manifest throughout the earth is through the empowerment and deployment of His people

Just as our body is the physical way in which our soul/spirit interacts with the world and our environment, so WE as Christ’s body are meant to be the primary means through which the Spirit of God engages the world in which we live to create change and advance His Kingdom

John 14:12-14 “12 “I tell you the truth, anyone who believes in me will do the same works I have done, and even greater works, because I am going to be with the Father. 13 You can ask for anything in my name, and I will do it, so that the Son can bring glory to the Father. 14 Yes, ask me for anything in my name, and I will do it!”

If God wants to Eph 4:10 fill the entire universe with Himself this means His grand plan is bigger than you and I

Parrallels Col 1:20 “20 and through him God reconciled everything to himself. He made peace with everything in heaven and on earth by means of Christ’s blood on the cross.”

Gen 1 - 3 Summary - Gospel of the Kingdom

The gospel is bigger than Christ saving YOU and I, the gospel is about reconciling ALL of creation to Himself! Which is a big idea because its the restoration of Genesis 1-3.

Gen 1 - God creates the world good, He creates you and I as very good

Gen 2 - He goes into more depth on our unique role and what makes us distinct from the rest of creation

Gen 3 - the fall and all of creation is affected by our decision to sin

Gen 3:17-18 “17 And to the man he said, “Since you listened to your wife and ate from the tree whose fruit I commanded you not to eat, the ground is cursed because of you. All your life you will struggle to scratch a living from it. 18 It will grow thorns and thistles for you, though you will eat of its grains.”

God want to make His glory manifest in and through all creation. For all of creation was made for His glory!

Eph 4:10 “10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.”

πληρόω - plēroō - play-ro'-o (https://www.blueletterbible.org/lexicon/g4137/kjv/tr/0-1/)

to make full, to fill up, i.e. to fill to the full

to cause to abound, to furnish or supply liberally

I abound, I am liberally supplied

Not just to the brim but to overflow

God want’s to have His presence overflow from our heart into our lives into this world that all might know Who He is

Object lesson: pour water into a cup with a pan to catch the overflow.

God’s intent is that He might dwell in us that He might work through us in such a way where His presence is made known in all the earth

So we see that our purpose, is a part of a much larger narrative in which we are called to make His glory manifest in all the earth

But how do we do this? It’s being with God that allows us to then do things for God.

And when we BE with God, we experience, joy, peace, fulfilment. And it allows us to be content in any all seasons whether doing or not doing our greatest joy is found in being with Him. The result of this is then that He works IN and THROUGH us.

So how do we fulfill Eph 4:1? Eph 4:6 Over us, IN us, THROUGH us

What does it look like when He isn’t working through us vs when He is? Eph 4:17-32 Gives us a clear picture.

Ephesians 4:17–32 NLT

17 With the Lord’s authority I say this: Live no longer as the Gentiles do, for they are hopelessly confused. 18 Their minds are full of darkness; they wander far from the life God gives because they have closed their minds and hardened their hearts against him. 19 They have no sense of shame. They live for lustful pleasure and eagerly practice every kind of impurity. 20 But that isn’t what you learned about Christ. 21 Since you have heard about Jesus and have learned the truth that comes from him, 22 throw off your old sinful nature and your former way of life, which is corrupted by lust and deception. 23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy. 25 So stop telling lies. Let us tell our neighbors the truth, for we are all parts of the same body. 26 And “don’t sin by letting anger control you.” Don’t let the sun go down while you are still angry, 27 for anger gives a foothold to the devil. 28 If you are a thief, quit stealing. Instead, use your hands for good hard work, and then give generously to others in need. 29 Don’t use foul or abusive language. Let everything you say be good and helpful, so that your words will be an encouragement to those who hear them. 30 And do not bring sorrow to God’s Holy Spirit by the way you live. Remember, he has identified you as his own, guaranteeing that you will be saved on the day of redemption. 31 Get rid of all bitterness, rage, anger, harsh words, and slander, as well as all types of evil behavior. 32 Instead, be kind to each other, tenderhearted, forgiving one another, just as God through Christ has forgiven you.

There are really two lists.

List one:

Wandering from God

Hard heart

Impurity

Lust

Deceit

Anger

Stealing

Foul or abusive language

Crude joking (Eph 5)

Bitterness

Rage

Brawling

Slander

All types of evil behavior

List two: Eph 4:23-24 “23 Instead, let the Spirit renew your thoughts and attitudes. 24 Put on your new nature, created to be like God—truly righteous and holy.”

Stop lying, tell the truth

Stop stealing, do good work with your hands that you may give generously to others in need

Be angry, don’t sin, don’t give the enemy a foothold

Don’t use foul or abusive language, build others up, be helpful & encouraging

Be kind, tenderhearted, forgiving (as JC forgave you) Eph 4:32

What in this list do you see in your own life? Is there more attributes of the first list or the second? How does this change come about?

Action Option 1: Give a moment for them to spend time in God’s presence w/the txt and ask Him what is one area of their life He wants to create change in from this list. Have them tell a fellow believer and then live it out.

Action Option 2: Invite them to tailgate and make His glory known here near and far

Other notes:

Yet when we spend time in His presence, even without doing, our purpose is being fulfilled

Our purpose/fulfillment is also found in just being with Him

two of the most foundational things hardwired into the human soul is the need to be in relationship and the need to worship something. When both find the right person to be with and the right person/object to worship - God we experience, joy peace, and fulfilment.

We were designed to be in relationship with God. We see this in Gen 1. Our purpose is directly connected to being in the presence of God.

We lack joy, peace and fulfillment when we look anywhere other than Jesus.

The more we spend time in His presence and allow it to permeate our souls the more He is able to do through us.

Our purpose - to glorify God is filled primarily by His own presence within us being made manifest in the way we live.

The gospel is an invitation to have a reconciled, a restored relationship with Jesus

Back to the problem of pain and the fleetingness of pleasure - How do we endure a pleasure that is fleeting and a pain that feels everlasting? By dwelling in His presence. It’s in His presence alone that we experience that for which our soul was designed. It’s in that moment that our purpose - to be in relationship with God as in Gen 1,2 - is fulfilled and then because of His presence, despite Gen 3 - we can walk in purpose.

In other words, when we are in the presence of God that allows us to fulfill our purpose and it’s our purpose that is found in His presence.

So how do we fulfill Eph 4:1? By recognizing the connection between presence and purpose. We live worthy of the call to which we have recieved first by allowing His presence to permeate our lives and as it does it then will be on full display as the God IN US is made known THROUGH us.

Intro - Football - pursue pleasure - found pain - pain then made me wrestle with God’s presence and my purpose

Pleasure is fleeting and usually in our pursuit of pleasure what we find the moment pleasure disipates or leaves is that pain then enters our life. That often times when we live a hedonistic lifestyle what we find isn’t pleasure but pain.

When pain enters our life, and it will, for all of us who are human, and live on the planet Earth, prain causes us - often times - to question God’s presence and our purpose for living.

To endure the pain of life, we need both God’s presence and purpose. Without these, pleasure will be ever fleeting (elusive) and pain will remain present. And even if pain remains, if we are in God’s presence and we know our purpose we have reason to endure. Because our life is about so much more than something that is fleeting.

It is only when we find pleasure in Him and purpose in Him that we can then be propelled to live a life worthy of living, or as Paul said, worthy of our calling.

Eph 4:1 “1 Therefore I, a prisoner for serving the Lord, beg you to lead a life worthy of your calling, for you have been called by God.”

Gospel of Kingdom

Rom 1:20 “20 For ever since the world was created, people have seen the earth and sky. Through everything God made, they can clearly see his invisible qualities—his eternal power and divine nature. So they have no excuse for not knowing God.”

Eph 1:21 “21 Now he is far above any ruler or authority or power or leader or anything else—not only in this world but also in the world to come.”

How does this apply to you and I?

Eph 4:6 “6 one God and Father of all, who is over all, in all, and living through all.”

Over all

In all

Through all

Eph 4:10 “10 And the same one who descended is the one who ascended higher than all the heavens, so that he might fill the entire universe with himself.”

By recognizing that if you have chosen to follow Jesus - He is IN YOU, and His desire is to make Himself known THROUGH you - so despite what you face, despite the fleetingness of pleasure and the presence of pain, God is ever present and He has a purpose for you! So let’s live a life worthy of our calling

BIG IDEA: Its the presence of God that allows us to fulfill our purpose and it’s our purpose that is found in His presence.

Resources Notes:

Panentheism vs Pantheism (will likely skip all of this except for definition of pantheism)

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Panentheism

PANENTHEISM Meaning “all is in God,” this view equates the universe with God (like pantheism) but allows God to have a separate identity distinct from the universe (unlike pantheism). In panentheism, everything that exists is contained within God, but God is separate from and greater than everything that exists.

Pan - all

en - within

theism - God

The Lexham Bible Dictionary Pantheons, Greek and Roman

PANTHEONS, GREEK AND ROMAN The polytheistic hierarchy of gods in ancient Greek and Roman religions. Covers the development and religious significance of beliefs in the Greek deities—including the Olympian gods as well as other deities and demigods—and their counterparts in the Roman pantheon.

Eph 4:6

Eph 4:6

It is obvious from the whole connection that the word πάντων (“of all,” and “through all”), is not neuter. The apostle does not refer to the dominion of God over the universe, or to his providential agency throughout all nature. Neither is the reference to his dominion over rational creatures or over mankind. It is the relation of God to the church, of which the whole passage treats. God as Father is over all its members, through them all and in them all. The church is a habitation of God through the Spirit It is his temple in which he dwells and which is pervaded in all its parts by his presence. The preposition διά, therefore, does not here express instrumentality, but diffusion. It is not that God operates “through all” (διὰ πάντων), but that he pervades all and abides in all. This is the climax. To be filled with God; to be pervaded by his presence, and controlled by him, is to attain the summit of all created excellence, blessedness and glory.

Charles Hodge, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1858), 210.

There is one God and Father of all, who is above all, and through all, and in you all. Who is above all, that is, above and over all; and through all, that is, providing for, ordering all; and in you all, that is, who dwelleth in you all. Now this they own to be an attribute of the Son; so that were it an argument of inferiority, it never would have been said of the Father.

S. John Chrysostom, Commentary on the Epistle to the Galatians, and Homilies on the Epistle to the Ephesians, vol. VI, A Library of Fathers of the Holy Catholic Church (Oxford; London: John Henry Parker; J. G. F. and J. Rivington, 1840), 221.

6. One God and Father of all. This is the main argument, from which all the rest flow. How comes it that we are united by faith, by baptism, or even by the government of Christ, but because God the Father, extending to each of us his gracious presence, employs these means for gathering us to himself? The two phrases, ἐπὶ πάντων καὶ διὰ πάντων, may either mean, above all and through all things, or above all and through all men. Either meaning will apply sufficiently well, or rather, in both cases, the meaning will be the same. Although God by his power upholds, and maintains, and rules, all things, yet Paul is not now speaking of the universal, but of the spiritual government which belongs to the church. By the Spirit of sanctification, God spreads himself through all the members of the church, embraces all in his government, and dwells in all; but God is not inconsistent with himself, and therefore we cannot but be united to him into one body. This spiritual unity is mentioned by our Lord. “Holy Father, keep through thine own name those whom thou hast given me, that they may be one as we are.” (John 17:11.) This is true indeed, in a general sense, not only of all men but of all creatures. “In him we live, and move, and have our being.” (Acts 17:28.) And again, “Do not I fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord?” (Jer. 23:24.) But we must attend to the connection in which this passage stands. Paul is now illustrating the mutual relation of believers, which has nothing in common either with wicked men or with inferior animals. To this relation we must limit what is said about God’s government and presence. It is for this reason, also, that the apostle uses the word Father, which applies only to the members of Christ.

John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 269–270.

Eph 4:10

That he might fill all things. To fill often signifies to Finish, and it might have that meaning here; for, by his ascension into heaven, Christ entered into the possession of the authority given to him by the Father, that he might rule and govern all things. But a more beautiful view, in my opinion, will be obtained by connecting two meanings which, though apparently contradictory, are perfectly consistent. When we hear of the ascension of Christ, it instantly strikes our minds that he is removed to a great distance from us; and so he actually is, with respect to his body and human presence. But Paul reminds us, that, while he is removed from us in bodily presence, he fills all things by the power of his Spirit. Wherever the right hand of God, which embraces heaven and earth, is displayed, Christ is spiritually present by his boundless power; although, as respects his body, the saying of Peter holds true, that “the heaven must receive him until the times of restitution of all things, which God hath spoken by the mouth of all his holy prophets since the world began.” (Acts 3:21.)

John Calvin and William Pringle, Commentaries on the Epistles of Paul to the Galatians and Ephesians (Bellingham, WA: Logos Bible Software, 2010), 276.

He is thus exalted, ἵνα πληρώσῃ τὰ πάντα, that he might fill all things. As the word πληρόω signifies to fill, to fulfil, to render perfect, and to accomplish, these words may mean—1. That he might fill all things, i. e. the universe with his presence and power. 2. That he might fulfil all the predictions and promises of God respecting his kingdom. 3. That he might render all perfect, replete with grace and goodness. 4. That he might accomplish all things necessary to the consummation of his work. The first interpretation is greatly to be preferred. Τὰ πάντα properly means the universe; and if taken to mean any thing else, it must be because the context demands it, which is not the case here. Secondly, this passage is evidently parallel with ch. 1:21, where also it is said of Christ as exalted, that “he fills the universe in all its parts.” Thirdly, the analogy of Scripture is in favour of this interpretation. The omnipresence and universal dominion of God are elsewhere expressed in a similar way. “Do I not fill heaven and earth, saith the Lord.” Jer. 23:24. The same grand idea is expressed in Matt. 28:18, “All power is given unto me in heaven and upon earth;” and in Phil. 2:9, 10, and in many other places. It is not of the ubiquity of Christ’s body of which the apostle speaks, as the Lutherans contend, but of the universal presence and power of the ascended Son of God. It is God clothed in our nature, who now exercises this universal dominion; and, therefore, the apostle may well say of Christ, as the incarnate God, that he gives gifts unto men

(It’s interesting that according to this commentator, this verse referring to God filling all things is slightly diff than what he had to say about Eph 4:6, in that this passage does refer to His divinity over all creation not just the body of Christ)

Charles Hodge, A Commentary on the Epistle to the Ephesians (New York: Robert Carter and Brothers, 1858), 221–222.